Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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SUPT.W.K.T?TE TALKS TO SCHOOL PATRONS "Much Interest has been created by an Interview with W, K. Tute, pub lished recently In The State and copied by many of the weekly papers of the Smte. Mr. T?te, as Slate su pervisor of elementary rural schools, has a great work ahead of him ami the teachers of the Stale expect him to be of great help to them by causing an awakening among trustees and pupil 8. "I have been much gratified," said Air. T?te yesterday, "tit the prompt response to my Invitation to the press and the people of the State to diSCUSS some of the problems of the rural school In South Carolina. As I stated Iben my own conclusions. formed after a superllcal study of the situ ation, are Bllbjoct to revision, and it is my earnest desire to have the best thought Of the State concentrated on this BUbpject, which is now of para mount Importance in the educational development of South Carolina, it is only through a free and candid ex pression of opinion that we may agree on a consistent programme of pro gress. "I discussed the necessity for a bet ter county supervision, and suggested some means by which this could be secured. A number of letters have been received, and several communi cations have appeared in the papers of the State suggesting other needs of the school, such as consolidation of schools, teaching of agricult lire, bet ter pay for teachers, ami longer terms. I agree that these are important ele ments In progress, ami in the course of time will have something more to say on each of these topics. Hut, to my mind, all of these Improvements can bo made effect Ivo only with a better system of supervision. "Last week I stopped for two hours in Sumter, waiting on a railroad con nection, and took the opportunity to yp<> the plain of the Sumter mnilll focttiry, an institution of which the whole State may well be proud, ru der the guidance of Mr. Mason. I saw the process by which the 500 parts which enter into the telephone are made and assembled. Cooperation "Necessary. "1 was very much impressed with (the machine for making screws. A small brass roil was fed automatically Into this machine, where It was turned jn proper size and shape and received the threads, and where finally the head was grooved and a screw, ready for use, dropped into the receptacle below, The lso employes ol* the tele phone factory might have worked all day making screws by hand, and the result would probably have been enough imperfect specimens for on* telephone, instead of attempting the work by hand, the first task of the manufacturer was to perfect his ma. chine. "The first educational task for South Carolina is aptly described by this illustration. If we attempt, as individuals, to do the things which We realize should be done, the work will move slowly and the result will be at best Imperfect. Our first duty is to perfect our administration ma chine. "In South Carolina the county is the fiscal unit in school administra tion, and for that reason I mentioned Jmporved county supervision as the prime requisite to educational pro gress, "When the efficient county super intendent of education has been se lected in a manner similar to that in dicated last week, he should be given powers which will enable him to unify the educational work of his county. The Selection of Teachers. "At present, the county superinten dent of education has nothing to do with the selection of the teachers of the school districts. lie does not know what teachers are employed in the county until the pay warrants are presented to him after the close of the first month's teaching. I nder the law, no teacher may he employed who has not a valid certificate. Fre quently the county superintendent finds that the trustees have, perhaps unwittingly, employed a teacher who has no certificate. The teacher, per haps, was unacquainted with the pro visions of the law. The county super intendent must approve the voucher before it is presented to the county treasurer. He is put Into a position in which he must either violate the law or refuse the salary for the month already taught by the teacher. It seems to me that the contract be tween a local board of trustees and a prosepctlve teacher should not be valid until approved by the county superintendent of education. He would then be able to settle the ques tion of certification before hand and would know who Is to teach In the schools of the districts before the opening of the school session. ? "Then, too, it is a difficult matter for the local trustees to select teach ers. The county superintendent has facilities for inquiring Into the qualf deal ion of teachers, which Jiro not possessed by any local board, and SllOUld Iii all cases lie Hie RdVlSOl' of the local trustees In this Important matter. The efficient county superin tendent of education who knows both the schools and teachers In his county will be aide to servo the Interests of the schools and. at the same time, to save for some of these teachers the percentage of their salaries, which now goes to the teachers' agencies of the State. For Closer Relationship, "The present constitution 001 d school law gives large powers to the; State hoard of education and to the! State superintendent, hut there is very little machinery for executing these powers, and the State superin tendent of education can exert only the slightest influence over the county system of schools. The power even to secure reports from the county su perintendents is very limited, and these reports, when obtained, often contain glaring errors which have re suited from a misunderstanding by the county superintendent of the In tent of the request for information. The State does not even provide a uniform set of books for the county superintendent. The books which are now furnished by the county are im perfect and difficult to keep. "When a new county superinten dent comes into oHVo there is no of- , Reer of the state department of edu cation to assist him in opening his books, and no representative of that department to audit the hooks at any time during his administration, There is. in consequence, a lack of system and uniformity whic h makes the an nual report of State superintendents of education in many respects a "com-' pllntion of statistical misinformation." This does not arise from dishonesty or Incompetency on the part of the 1 county superintendent, but is the nat-M ural result whore there is no uniform | system of nuditing records. I believe , that the COltnty superintendents would one and all welcome an effort to sini- . piity and standardize their bookkeep- (' lug. The State spends more for edu- I cation than for any other single pur- I pose. Last year nearly $2.000,000 was | spent for public schools in South Car- | ollna. To the ordianary business man it would appear that the State school , ' system could afford an elllclent au ditor of some kind. "At the hist session of the general assembly a bill passed both houses unanimously and became a law. au thorizing the appointment of a com mission for revising and simplifying the school law. We confidently be lieve that this coinission. which is now at v\ork. will present to the i eo pie Of this Statae the administrative machine, which is the first requisite to permanent progress." Dysentery is a dangerous <]'. a hut c-n be cured. Chamberlain's Colic Cholera and Diarrhoea Remedy baa been successfully used in nine epi demics of dysentery It has never been known to fail. It is equally valuable for children and adults, and when reduced with water and Bweet ened, It Is pleasant to take. Sold by Laurens Drug Co. WOMAN'S MISSIONARY UNION. Meets With Highland Home Church Sept. 7 and 8. The Woman's Missionary Union, nuxilllary to the Laurens Baptist as sociation, will meet with Highland Home church on Wednesday and Thursday. Sept. 7 and 8. Program* Wednesday, 11 a. m., Devotional? Mrs. C. 11. Dobo. Enrollment of delegates. Report on Foreign Missions?Mrs. Mary Carter. Report on Homo Missions?Mrs. .1. W. Reason. Appointment of Committees. Dinner. 2 p. m.. Conference with practical demonstrations of methods in the , work of the V. W. .Vs., R. .Vs.. and Sunbeams, conducted by Mrs. .1. S. Dennett. Mrs. .1. 1). W. Watts and i Miss Annie Rudd. Prepared paper, "The Olrl ami In fluence in the Home"?Miss Nannie Bramlett. Collection for Associatlonal expens es. Acijoni ii. Thursday. 10 a. in., Devotional?Mrs. Charlotte Hipp. Reports from societies. Report on Training school?Mrs. Annie Willis. Report on State Missions?Mrs. John :'ooertson. Address?Mrs. C. FJ. Wnjson. Dinner. 2 i>. in.. Report on Mnrgeret Home? Miss Daisy Riddle. Report of Cinunlttoos. Election of Officers. Adjourn, We have complete line of Fruit .Tnrs in all siz^s. also extra rubbers. S. M. & E. II. Wllkes & Co. "DO IT NOW!" Many Bargains Await You at 0. B. Simmons&Son YOUR I LAST CHANC I For This Year To buy the Best Coal at $5.00 per Ton | Delivered \S' ^ ? The Price will Advance First of Next Week! S Do not let this opportunity pass, it means ?2 Money Saved to You. ^ -,-,-_ ^ Phone us jour order today. J. W. & R. M. Eichelberger Office 33 Reliable Draymen. Residence 276 Brick, Lime, Cement and Crushed Stone ABSOLUTELY PURE 1" VEGETABLE OlU 100 Cooking Value Abso lutely Pure THE SMOOTH consistency sought so long in a salad oil. Refined by the exclusive Wesson Process; and the highest quality which defies competition. Odorless, tasteless, healthful r.;;d nourishing. The easiest and cleanest to cook with. 'Three fourths a given quantity of oil docs the work of a full quantity c? butter,, and with much better results. In Tins Only of All Grocers Manufactured by T^bje Southern CoStOU Oil Co. New York SwvnnnsFi New Orleans ChlcaQo RIGHT OVER WOOD SHINGLES C0RTHIGHlMEm ?SHINGLES1 "can be laid without fuss or bother right over the old wood shingles, changing the , top of your building instantly from a fire catcher to A FIREPROOF ROOF that will last aa long as the building itself and never needs repairs. For further detailed information, prices, etc., apply to Local Dealer or Cortright Metal Roofing Co., Philadelphia, Pa To the Merchants of the South KSS than ten years ago we started/ ^ the first modern method shoe fac^ tory in the South. L/ This year we will manufacture more shoes than any of our competitors in such old and well-known markets as New York, Philadelphia and Balti more, although some of these manufac turers have been doing a successful business for thirty or forty years. We have demonstrated that we can manufacture a shoe which will wear longer than other shoes, and will look well as long as it lasts. We have dem onstrated that our workmanship is superior to the workmanship in the factories of the West, and that it equals the workmanship put on shoes of the same price made anywhere on earth. We are selling more shoes in the South than any of our competitors. We are the only manufacturers outside of New England who have ever been able to sell their product successfully in the large Kastern cities, such as Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. Our values justify our selling our product anywhere. We prefer sell ing the output of our factories in the South, as this is our legitimate territory. If you arc not buying your shoes from us, write us at once, and we will notify pur salesman to call to see you with his spring samples. More than fifty salesmen leave Lynchburg the first week in Septem ber with our line of samples, includ ing a complete line of Oxfords, Sailor Ties, Pumps, and all of the latest nov elties in spring footwear. These men cover the South thoroughly and if you wish to handle our line next season, write us at once; otherwise they might place the line with your competitor. Watch the newspapers. All of the leading daily and evening papers of the South are carrying our advertise ments. Millions of Southern people read these advertisements every day. Thousands of people are wearing Craddock shoes that did not wear them yesterday. To-morrow thou sands of people will know of Craddock shoes that haven't heard of them to-day. If you want to sell the best selling line of shoes manufactured in this country; if you wish to buy from the largest Southern manufacturer; if you wish to sell shoes which actually wear longer than other shoes at the same prices, and if you wish to buy the most widely advertised line, the line which is being talked about and being called for, write or wire us to-day. CRADDOCK-TERRY COMPANY, Lynchburg, Va.